Charles R. Hinckley interview with Tales of Cape Cod on May 1, 1978.

Born in 1892, Mr. Holmes describes his childhood experiences living in Marstons Mills.   His father was a farmer who owned woodlands and cranberry bogs and who also made money loaning money.  Mr. Hinckley gives a lengthy description of growing cranberries on Cape Cod.  Pickers in 1910 would make 15 cents a bushel and a man could pick about 15 bushels a day.  He also describes his father’s practice of loaning money for purchasing homes.   He describes his life as a child working on the farm.  Mr. Hinckley also describes what school was a one room school with 8 grades and 20 students.  He recalls the teacher being paid $6.00 a week.  At 17 he went to Middleboro to work in a department store.  He was paid $6.00 a week in 1909.  After four years he received a raise to $6.50 a week.  In 1919 he purchased a home and grocery store in Osterville.  He remembers seeing his first car, a Stanley Steamer owned by a salesman who would heat up frankfurters on the boiler of the car.  He provides some price comparisons on food items purchased in 1919 and 1978.  In 1919 a worker in his store would make around $12 a week.  He describes what life was like running a retail store in Osterville.    

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